Notre Dame football promotes Chad Bowden to GM role
SOUTH BEND — Two months after wearing leprechaun suits to a high-profile recruiting event, Chad Bowden and Dre Brown drew public praise on Thursday from Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman.
Bowden, 30, was recently promoted to assistant athletic director for player personnel in the wake of national champion Michigan’s reported attempt to woo him away. Brown, a former Illinois running back who had been director of high school recruiting, moves into Bowden’s former role as overall recruiting director.
“Consistency is so important, but it’s even more important when it’s good,” Freeman said after Day 1 of spring practice. “Chad is elite at what he does. … And I speak about Dre the same way. He’s done a great job in his role.”
Butler Benton, according to a source, has left the program to pursue other opportunities. Hired last April after two seasons as general manager for Arkansas football, Benton had served as de facto GM for Notre Dame.
Benton was brought in after longtime personnel director Dave Peloquin was promoted in February 2023 to assistant AD/football strategic initiatives. A former Cincinnati running back, Benton previously spent 13 months at Notre Dame in 2013-14 as assistant director of player development.
Bowden, who has helped push Notre Dame’s 2025 recruiting class to the top of the national rankings, previously worked with Freeman at Cincinnati before following him to South Bend in 2021.
“The opportunity for (Bowden) to lead our entire personnel staff is, to me, something that’s earned,” Freeman said. “He’s earned that right. He does such a good job at what he does. That’s not just connecting with recruits but planning, leading a group of people and evaluations.”
Brown, 26, arrived at Notre Dame in July 2021 as an offensive recruiting analyst and has steadily worked his way up the organizational ladder. After a successful stint at Tennessee as recruiting coordinator, he helped coach Notre Dame running backs and defensive backs before being promoted in January 2023 to high school recruiting director.
Slowed by injuries early in his playing career, Brown was voted offensive MVP for the 2019 Illini after compiling nearly 1,300 all-purpose yards as a senior. Voted third-team all-conference, he also won Illinois’ Bruce Capel Award for courage, dedication and accomplishment.
“It’s more important we have the right people,” Freeman said, “people that can do that role and perform at a high level.”